Understanding How Climate Change Is Impacting Health

The impact that climate change has on human health is increasingly gaining the attention of policymakers, business leaders, and healthcare officials. It was a trending topic at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, in mid-January. And before that, the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference — COP28 — held its first ever health day.

Consider the facts: by 2050, climate change could result in an additional 14.5 million deaths and cause $12.5 trillion in economic losses worldwide. On top of that, climate change is accelerating the risk of chronic diseases, disabilities, and injuries spreading. Those are just some of the key findings from a groundbreaking new report — Quantifying the Impact of Climate Change on Human Health — published by Oliver Wyman and WEF during the meeting in Davos. The findings were the focal point of a panel discussion led by Oliver Wyman’s Dr. Oliver Eitelwein and Rolf Fricker.

In this video, Eitelwein talks with Shyam Bishen, Head of WEF’s Health and Healthcare Centre, about some of the key findings in the report.

And here, Oliver Wyman’s Terry Stone and Fricker share insights from the panel discussion and address the urgent need for healthcare infrastructures to adapt as climate change impacts human health.